We’re in week 2 of our Aurifil for AGF blog series! This week, we’re introducing you to a few more of the talented designers of Art Gallery Fabrics. Back in 2015, we launched Aurifil thread boxes to match with the identity of each Art Gallery Fabrics designer. The best thing about this is that the threads aren’t specific to one fabric collection but rather were selected to match a designer’s signature palette. With that in mind, these collections work just as well with the brand new fabric collections as they did with those that released back in 2015. Pretty amazing, right? We hope you enjoy hearing more about these fabulous women AND don’t miss our super sweet giveaway!
Today, we meet Maureen Cracknell of Maureen Cracknell Handmade! Her Bohemian Garden collection comes in both Large and Small boxes of 50wt thread for maximum versatility. The colors were perfectly selected to coordinate with Maureen’s Art Gallery Fabrics collections, including her newly released Soulful and Garden Dreamer collections, along with Nightfall, Fleet and Flourish, and Wild & Free. We always love seeing what Maureen is up to, whether a fun event like the Sewcial Bee Sampler, or some new and fabulous thread sketching project. Follow along with her Instagram account for all sorts of inspiration!
Bohemian Garden, LARGE
12 Large Spools, 50wt (1422yds/spool)
2225 – 2000 – 2835 – 2420 – 4020 – 2850
2134 – 5003 – 1148 – 2370 – 2255 – 2784
Bohemian Garden, SMALL
10 Small Spools, 50wt (220yds/spool)
2835 – 2850 – 2134 – 2225 – 4020
5003 – 2420 – 2255 – 1148 – 2784
INTERVIEW
What first drew you to to the world of sewing and quilting?
I started my blog, Maureen Cracknell Handmade, in 2010 to have a place to share the crafts and handmade things that I would make both by myself and with the help of my three children. It wasn’t until after I had been blogging for a few months that I discovered the world of sewing and quilting. At that same time a collection of designer fabrics caught my eye while I was shopping online for yarn and that was it, I had to have them, taught myself to sew, and the rest is history!
Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I’m a self-taught artist living in a small town in Potter County, Pennsylvania. I grew up drawing and discovered my passion for creating at an early age. I have no professional art training and at times struggled with my choice not to study art, but as I get older I’ve really embraced the freedom of being self-taught and realize what a blessing it is to simply create from the heart.
How did you first make the connection with Art Gallery Fabrics and what does it mean to you to be part of the AGF family?
Not long after I started sewing I discovered the lovely Pat Bravo and immediately became a fan of her fabric designs. A few years back I had shared a post on my blog gushing over her Poetica collection which she saw and kindly commented on. A friendship started immediately and it’s because of Pat’s encouragement and mentoring that has made it possible for me to join the AGF family as a designer. It’s incredible!
Tell us about your latest collections with Art Gallery. What inspired the designs?
My latest collection due in stores this month is Soulful ~ a collection inspired by the beauty that comes from surrounding ourselves with the things we love most. For me that includes family mementos, pieces of nature, handmade goods, and vintage finds in dreamy colors with pops of deep plum, rusty reds, and teal.
Do you have a favorite project or projects made with each collection?
It just so happens that my most favorite collection projects are the ones that feature Aurifil thread! For each new collection, I create a thread sketch project that illustrates the theme of the collection using a combination of prints with a variety of 50wt threads. These projects are so creative and fun, and they’re always the stand-out favorite project made to showcase each collection!
When did you first discover Aurifil threads and what do you love most about them?
I first discovered Aurifil a few years ago and right away I started collecting the colorful spools. I’ve always loved matching threads to my projects and Aurifil has so many to choose from, it’s really wonderful!
Do you have a favorite color/weight and why?
My particular favorite for both machine sewing and hand sewing is the 50wt, which is why I chose this weight for my Bohemian Garden Thread Collection. It’s impossible for me to choose a favorite color, I love them all!
Can you tell us a bit more about your signature Aurifil collection — why did you select the colors and the weights that you did?
As I mentioned above, I love the 50wt! The Bohemian Garden Thread colors were selected to pair well with my Art Gallery fabric collections. There were so many amazing possibilities to choose from which made it difficult to narrow it down, but what I ended with are mostly warm colors that blend well with the palettes of all of my collections.
Your Aurifil showcase project is currently traveling with Alex Veronelli and is featured in his shops lecture series. What would you want to tell attendees about the project?
My traveling project is a great example of the thread sketching I mentioned above. I used a combination of free motion embroidery, raw edge applique, and the decorative stitches built-in my Janome to create a unique dreamcatcher pillow cover featuring my first full collection with AGF, Fleet & Flourish!
ABOUT MAUREEN
Website – Facebook – Instagram – Pinterest – Twitter – Flickr
Maureen Cracknell lives in small town Potter Country, Pennsylvania. She is a mother, wife, blogger, quilter, and lover of all things creative and handmade.
Just a little over four years ago she started sewing and blogging at Maureen Cracknell Handmade; a simple, positive, and creative blog where she loves to share her projects, fabric stashes, sewing, and special family moments. Two years into blogging, she opened a Facebook page with intentions to share and connect with people who, like her, live with a passion to sew and quilt—most of who follow her blog, which has been supported and grown to over eighty thousand followers. These supporters continually give her encouragement and the opportunity to follow her path of creating and sharing.
She’s been a proud member of several fabric manufacturer design teams throughout the years, including Art Gallery Fabric’s popular Fat Quarter Gang, and continues to work as an Independent Designer for Janome Sewing Machines. She is incredibly grateful for each of the opportunities that have led her where to where she is today!
AURIFIL FOR AGF GIVEAWAY
Today’s post marks the launch of a super fab giveaway featuring both Aurifil threads and Art Gallery Fabrics. One lucky Grand Prize winner will take home 1 LG Art Gallery thread collection of his or her choosing + 1 SM Art Gallery thread collection + a bundle of Art Gallery Fabrics. Two runners up will take home 2 SM Art Gallery thread collections each. All in all, SO much fabulous fabric & thread, so many fun new projects to plan! The giveaway is open from now through 11:59pm on Friday, June 30th, at which point we’ll select 3 random winners. We’ll email winners directly and will also announce on every post in the series. This giveaway is open to our International friends as well! Simply follow the link below or click on the image above!
UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Allison Evrard, our Grand Prize Winner!! Congratulations also to Sarah Jasinski and Lynn Brown, our runners up! We had so much fun with this one — thanks to all who entered and followed along with us!
SCHEDULE
Sunday, June 11 — Intro
Tuesday, June 13 — Sharon Holland
Wednesday, June 14 — Katarina Roccella
Thursday, June 15 — Jeni Baker
Friday, June 16 — Bonnie Forkner
Tuesday, June 20 — Caroline Hulse
Wednesday, June 21 — Maureen Cracknell (you are here!)
Thursday, June 22 — April Rhodes & Amy Sinibaldi
Friday, June 23 — Pat Bravo & Bari J
LOOKBOOK
Click on the image below to take a look at our Aurifil for Art Gallery collection Lookbook!
ABOUT ART GALLERY
Website – Blog – Instagram – Pinterest – Facebook – Twitter – YouTube
Art Gallery Fabrics is a leading Manufacturer of Quilting & Sewing Textiles, and a Wholesale Supplier to Quilting, Home Decor, Sewing, and Apparel Industries. Many describe their style as “Contemporary Elegant” and it fits! They love to design fabrics that fit today’s modern lifestyle while adding a chic, sophisticated touch. Art Gallery works with a talented design team whose enticing color palettes & artful, intricate prints make the collections one of a kind.
[Photos courtesy of Maureen Cracknell & Art Gallery Fabrics]
Especially drawn to Maureen’s fabric designs and colors used in her collections.
A selection of Art Gallery Fabrics by her plus Aurifil thread would be perfect for me.
Love the beautiful Art Gallery fabrics and threads that match! Thanks for sharing Maureen’s creations!
She is so talented.
Love Maureen’s work, and the Art Gallery threads and Aurifil threads
I am a big fan of Maureen Cracknell-her fabrics are amazing-of which I have several!
I just discovered Maureen a few weeks ago. I love the Nightfall collection and Soulful. I hope to make several projects with her fabrics.
Art Gallery fabrics have the best feel to them and Maureen has beautiful designs. A great combo!
I love the colors in not only her fabric collection, but thread collection!! Oh boy…..another designer to follow!!
I love the variety of the collections, that the designers are given as much attention as their fabrics. It isn’t just here’s a fabric and here’s who designed it please buy it, but real interviews for each collection, and a real interest in those who made it. I also love the way the fabric feels :)!
I am so impressed with your work. It’s nice to meet someone who hasn’t had professional art experience working at the level you are. Thank you.
Thanks for introducing Maureen and her wonderful creations.
I like the nature themes in these collections. I would not have thought of teal and plum, but they really work well and make the other colors look extra fresh and crisp. I’m looking forward to finding Maureen’s collections in my local quilt shop!
I’m a big fan of Maureen’s ! And her collection is beautiful
I adore Maureen’s line- the colors and designs sing to me. Art gallery fabric is so amazing. It’s the first one I choose when purchasing new fabric- it’s feel and drape are superb.
I love the fact that Maureen is self-taught and has accomplished so much in such a short time. Her colors are soft and pretty.
I love art gallery’s color ranges and unique prints. All the fabric is great quality too.😊
Ps this is my favorite collection of Maureen’s. such yummy colors!!
The collections are so beautiful! There are so many possibilities!
I love the proportion of light to dark to vibrant prints in each collection. It’s something many other collections don’t get quite right.
(Nechama Joy Haworth)
Maureen is my favorite fabric designer and blogger! Her fabric and designs speak to me! I have been a fan for years, before she got too famous 🙂 I was so thrilled when she joined AGF because I love their fabric, it was a match made in heaven for me!
My favorite things: Maureen (the designer) Aurifil threads and this “yummy” collection of fabrics….
nettiecrain@live.com
Love Maureen Cracknell been following her for a while several beautiful collections
Maureen was one of my first inspirations I found when I began the quilting, sewing journey several years back. Very real and helpful. Love her collections!
I love Maureen’s unique designs and stunning colors. There is no other designer like her!
I am in LOVE with AGF collections 🙂 My next project I am planning is only AGF fabrics 🙂 The colors are always beautiful and the fabric is the best quality!
I have been following Maureen for several years on facebook, and everything she creates is awesome. I love her fabric line, the colors and designs are awesome.
Love the fabric designs I don’t find anywhere else! I learn about many more designers.
I like the range of printed florals and blenders. I don’t do a lot with novelty stuff and like that you agf focuses on color and design.
Love your fabric color and designs
The colors of the fabrics and threads are wonderful!
I love their fun designs and their modern color schemes 🙂
I love the quality of AGF. They have a great drape. Maureen’s designs are sew original.
I love the colors and the fabric designs.
I love the colors and designs in Maureen’s collection. Very nice.
I have been following Maureen and Art Gallery Fabrics for a very long time. I discovered Aurifil threads about five years ago. Love the true colours they produce
Such beautiful colors and designs! I love to look at them!
Love the colors she uses.
I love Maureen’s colors and inspirations from nature. I have so enjoyed her recent collections and the Sewcial Sewing Bee! Sharon and Maureen did a beautiful job with the bee…I look forward to making some of the blocks with some Soulful this summer and I also love Aurifil thread. Thanks for the chance to win!
Maureen’s fabrics are lovely! Her sense of color and design are amazing!
How can I pick one favorite thing!?! I love the variety of artists and styles of fabrics they have-and the fabric is fantastic to work with!!
The collection designs and colors are amazing, and the fabric itself is excellent quality. ^_^
This is a beautiful fabric line.
What beautiful colors in the fabrics and the threads! I love Bohemian Garden!
Maureen, I love your fabrics and colors you use! I always look forward to your blog posts and creativity!
I am new to quilting so I honestly do not know anything about your fabrics. I can’t wait to find out more though!! Thank you for the giveaway.
I cant’ do two of the entries since there is no featured designer for 26 June, unless you mean Ms. Cracknell?